(Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 22, 2019) – A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families, shows that Medicaid fills the gaps in maternal health coverage and leads to healthier babies and mothers. States that have expanded Medicaid have improved the health of women of childbearing age, increasing preventive care, reducing adverse health outcomes before, during and after pregnancies, and reducing maternal deaths and infant mortality rates.

The uninsured rate for women of childbearing age is twice as high in states that have not expanded Medicaid compared to those that have (16% v 9%). States with the highest uninsured rates for women of childbearing age are: Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming. Ten of these states have not expanded Medicaid.

Better health for women of childbearing age also means better health for infants. States that have expanded Medicaid have reduced infant mortality 50% more than in non-expansion states.

While more must be done, Medicaid expansion is an important means of addressing persistent racial disparities in maternal health and maternal mortality.

The Georgetown University Center for Children and Families (CCF) is an independent, nonpartisan policy and research center founded in 2005 with a mission to support access to high-quality, comprehensive and affordable health coverage for all of America’s children and families.

As part of the McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown CCF provides research, develops strategies, and offers solutions to improve the health of America’s children and families, particularly those with low and moderate incomes. In particular, CCF examines policy development and implementation efforts related to Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Affordable Care Act.